Short answer
If your winters freeze and you're storing liquids, electronics, wood furniture or anything fragile, yes. Freezing splits containers, cold electronics collect condensation when warmed, and wood that sits in an unheated unit can crack once it's brought into a heated home. Durable goods can ride out the cold.
People often think of climate control as a summer purchase. In cold states, the winter case is just as strong. The danger isn’t the cold alone, but freezing, dryness and the jump back to a warm house.
Freezing splits things
Water expands as it freezes. The U.S. Geological Survey notes that ice is about 9 percent less dense than liquid water, which is why a full bottle cracks in the freezer.
Anything with water in it is at risk in an unheated unit below 32°F:
- Paint, stains and other water-based liquids
- Cleaning supplies and toiletries
- Canned and bottled drinks
- Houseplants, obviously, and anything with a water reservoir
The problem with bringing things home
Most winter damage shows up when items move from cold to warm. Warm indoor air condenses on cold surfaces. A Carleton College production guide puts it simply: condensation happens “when a cold thing encounters warm air.”
That’s a hazard for electronics. The same guide says that if there’s any chance of moisture inside a device, don’t power it on. The National Park Service has staff leave boxes taken out of cold storage to sit for about 8 hours or overnight before opening.
Wood furniture and winter storage
Cold, unheated storage also changes wood’s moisture. Purdue Extension describes split tabletops as a problem most often seen in antique tables stored in an unheated area and then brought into a centrally heated home. The wood comes out holding more moisture, then dries quickly indoors.
Purdue also notes that end splits in tabletops often develop in “the dry winter months of the northern climates.” Heated, humidity-aware storage keeps wood closer to your home’s conditions.
Batteries in the cold
Cold doesn’t usually destroy batteries, but it affects them. The Carleton guide notes that batteries “are best stored cool and used warm,” and that a very cold battery can read as dead though it still holds a charge. The U.S. Fire Administration says not to charge lithium-ion batteries below 32°F.
What can stay in an unheated unit
- Metal tools, bikes and lawn equipment (drain fuel and water first)
- Plastic bins and outdoor furniture
- Glass and ceramics, as long as nothing inside can freeze
- Seasonal decorations
A winter storage checklist
- Take out every liquid that can freeze, or store it at home.
- Remove batteries from devices and keep them indoors.
- Wrap wood furniture in breathable blankets, not plastic.
- When moving things home, let boxes and electronics warm up, still packed, before opening.
- If you need access all winter, ask whether the hallways and doors are heated too.
For a cold-climate market with plenty of verified options, see climate-controlled storage in Minnesota or Denver.